According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 956.34% higher in 2025 versus 1955 (a $167,359.62 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.43% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $17,500 in the year 1955 would cost $184,859.62 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by -1.21%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1955-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.29%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $17,500 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $17,500.00 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $17,813.43 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $18,805.97 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $19,427.61 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $20,232.09 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $20,226.87 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $20,456.72 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $20,885.07 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $21,000.00 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $21,313.43 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $21,663.43 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $21,971.64 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $22,598.51 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $23,319.40 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $24,217.91 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $25,461.19 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $26,798.51 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $27,111.94 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $27,968.66 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $31,102.99 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $34,023.13 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $37,408.21 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $40,046.27 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $41,921.64 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $47,897.76 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $56,428.36 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $63,261.19 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $65,867.91 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $67,440.30 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $70,433.58 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $72,293.28 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $69,482.84 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $71,582.84 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $73,792.54 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $77,485.82 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $81,842.54 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $84,094.03 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $85,932.84 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $88,529.10 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $91,203.73 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $94,468.66 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $97,132.84 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $97,979.10 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $96,129.85 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $98,062.69 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $104,127.61 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $104,754.48 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $103,808.96 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $107,000.75 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $110,761.94 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $118,101.49 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $122,823.88 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $125,418.11 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $132,798.41 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $121,731.10 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $131,336.04 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $144,218.70 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $147,594.79 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $147,645.20 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $146,645.30 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $135,187.03 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $132,353.13 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $136,883.75 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $143,062.55 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $142,658.28 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $136,726.98 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $156,640.20 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $180,865.79 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $181,306.22 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $183,823.55 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $184,859.62 | 0.56%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Transportation:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.211 |